Chain



No. 65,285. Patented Dec. 6, I898.

C. W. LEVALLEY.

HAIN.

A ummnmed Aug. 6; 1898.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

OF MILWAUKEE, IVISCONSIN. I

CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,285, dated December6, 1898.

Application filed August 6, 1898.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. LE- VALLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chains,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a carrier com posed of two parallellines of my improved chain connected by transverse ties. Fig. 2 is anedge View of three links of the chain traversing a sprocket-wheel. Fig.3 is a vertical section taken on line 00 00, Fig. 2.

Like reference-letters indicate similar parts in all the figures. g

A A are the lower side bars of the link. These bars are straight ontheir lower faces, which are quite wide and as smooth as it ispracticable to make them in order that they may run over theirsupporting-surfaces with as little friction as is possible.

B B are the upper side bars connected with the lower side bars by theupright parts I) b, thus forming rectangular openings A A on either sideof each link adapted for the reception of the ends of ties or stretchersX X, as will be hereinafter explained.

C is the cylindrical end bar, the metal which connects the end bar withthe side bars being of reduced width vertically, as is indicated at a,Fig. 2.

At the opposite end of the link there is a hook D, in which there is athroat between the point (Z and the adjacent part of the hookshank ofsuch width as will permit the passage of the reduced part at a when twolinks are placed in an unusual position, as is customary in this generalclass of chains and need not be further referred to.

In order to more fully adapt this chain for transportation purposes, Iprovide each link with \vhatl term a roof-top, (indicated generally by EE, which represent two sections slanting inward and upward from theupper side bars B B and uniting to form a ridge or apex 6, extendinglongitudinally and centrally of the link at considerable height abovethe said side bars.) At the hook end of the link the roof extends,preferably, to about the outer or front line of thepintle- Serial No.687,978. (Nb model.)

seat, with an angularcentral part c projecting still farther forward. Atthe opposite or end-bar end of the link the roof stops at about the endsof the side bars and is at its central portion cut away upon angularlines to correspond with the projecting end of the next link of theseries, substantially as is indicated at 6 V (See Fig. 1.)

All who are familiar with the practical operation of drive-chainsand ofvthis general class of chains, whether theyare employed for thetransmission of power or as -carriers in some of the many ways in whichthey are used for such purposes, are aware of the difficulties attendingsuch use of them arising from wear upon the opposing surfaces of thehook and end bar when the chain is under tension, which wear resultsfrequently in such lengthening of the chain as to seriously interferewith its properly traversing the sprocketwheels, the chain climbing thesprockets at times and sometimes doing serious injury to various partsof the appliance.

Two features of construction in my invention are adapted to overcome, ingreat measure at any rate, the above-referred-to wear of thearticulating parts, as follows: By referring to Fig. 3 it will beunderstood that the -full lines represent the articulating parts fittingclosely throughout practically their entire engaging surfaces, as theyought to do always, and in order to avoid undue wear, and especiallyirregular wear, upon any particular part of such surfaces it isimportant that under all conditions the axes of both the end bar and thecorresponding seat within the link connected thereto throughout theentire chain be at all times maintained parallel to the axis of thesprocket wheel or wheels which it traverses, it being readily understoodfrom an examination of Fig. 3 that if from any cause there be produced atendency to twist the hook member of the articulation-say in thedirection indicated by dotted lines y y-the result will be an increasedwear upon the upper side of the end bar at its left-hand end and acorresponding wear upon its lower side at the opposite end, withcorresponding wear of the seat within the hook, so that when suchtendency is removed there will be a disproportionate wear upon thecentral portions of the articulation, particularly when the chain istraversing a wheel. Such tendency to twist one member of thearticulation may be produced in chains as heretofore made by a shiftingof the weight of the load from one side of the link to the opposite sidethereof, resulting, for instance, from some irregularity in the contourof the under surface of the load, by reason of which it rests moreheavily upon one of the side bars than it does upon the other one of thesame link, and to reduce the unequal wear as much as is possible inlinks which are otherwise of the ordinary construction I provide each ofthe upper side bars B with an arm 19 which in a chain embodying all ofmy improvements, as shown, is or may be continuous with the roof andextends over the portion of the end bar which projects out beyond thehook, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) so that in case there be produced anytendency to twist the chain, as above indicated, the arm 17 will engagewith the end bar, and thus prevent such wear upon the articulating partsas would be liable to occur in the absence of these arms; but in thepreferred form of my link the load will rest upon the apex of the roofand the Weight will be distributed with practical uniformity upon bothside bars, and by reason of the angular form in cross-section of theroof the apex will be so high above the plane of the upper faces of theties that no part of the load- -such, for instance, as the bulge of abarrel or the sagged center of a boardwill rest upon any of the ties,whereby all tendency to twist the chain by such condition is avoided.

Another advantage which is incident to the hook end of the roof extendedbeyond the center of the end bar is this: As is plainly shown in Fig. 2,when each of the links successively assumes an angular position to thehorizontal plane of the links in rear of it in traversing asprocket-wheel the rear end of its roof falls rapidly below the level ofthe roof of the link behind it, so that there is practically nopossibility of any part of the load engaging with any portion of any ofthe tilting links,whereby all irregularity in the discharge of the loadfrom such cause is prevented, as will be understood Without furtherexplanation.

Another advantage which is secured by the employment of the rigid roofis the uniformity in pressure of both side bars of the links upon thesupports over which they are traveling and the consequent equalizationof wear upon those parts.

Having thus set fort-h the best mode now known to me for carrying myinvention into effect, I will say that I do not wish to be limited tothe precise details of construction herein illustrated, because manymodifications thereof will suggest themselves to a person skilled in theart without departing from the gist of my improvement or going outsideof its scope.

What I claim is- 1. A chain-link comprising in combination, a series ofparallel side bars, an end bar, a hook at the opposite end of the sidebars, and arms projecting from side bars by the side of the hook, and inline or thereabout with the end-bar seat within the hook, substantiallyas set forth.

2. Achain-link comprisingin combination, a series of parallel side bars,anv end bar, a hook at the opposite end of the side bars, and a rigidroof connecting the side bars, substantially as set forth.

3. A chain-link comprising in combination, a series of parallel sidebars, an end bar, a hook at the opposite end of the side bars, and

' a roof connecting the side bars, said roof extending to about theouter or front line of the end-bar seat within the hook, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER IV. LEVALLEY.

